Last month I was encouraged to tell you what great progress I had been making on Captain Wentworth in His Own Words! And I’m still making progress, just not as rapidly.

Unfortunately, I had to take a break to do my taxes. Ugh. I thought I was done with that nasty, time-consuming chore at last, but then yesterday I got an email from the accountant listing all the items I’d missed or questions that remain – all 13 of them! Can any of you relate?

So I guess I have a little more work to do there before I can get back to the book in earnest. But I’m always thinking about it and planning what comes next, even when I’m not able to actually sit down and write.

As most of you already know, this book, like the others in my “In His Own Words” series (Fitzwilliam Darcy..., Colonel Brandon…, Mr. Knightley...) is written in first person from the hero’s point of view, covering the time period of Jane Austen’s novel and SO MUCH MORE! That means this book will retell the story of Persuasion from Captain Wentworth’s point of view, adding the pivotal events of his childhood that shaped his character, how he came to be in the navy in the first place, his adventures at sea, and his original romance with Anne Elliot, followed by their violent breakup – in other words, well over 50% completely new material! I hope you are eager to read it all!

While you’re waiting, though, I do at least have an excerpt for you today!

The first excerpt I shared (here) was when Wentworth received a letter from his sister telling him that she and Admiral Croft had signed a lease on Kellynch Hall. This one follows not long afterward (so you might want to go back and read that one first if you missed it). Now he has arrived at Kellynch himself and is anticipating the unavoidable reunion with Anne. And remember, the story is told in Captain Wentworth’s own words.

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Miss Anne Elliot was at Uppercross. That is what my sister had said. Then it seemed my former love was unmarried still. And so nearby, too. I did not at first know whether I should be pleased at the information or not. In any case, a reunion between us could not now reasonably be avoided. Not that it mattered to me. I was perfectly indifferent to the idea of seeing her again, other than a certain amount of natural curiosity. But it was no more than that, I told myself: mere curiosity.

The ticklish business would be in how to manage it – what level of familiarity to acknowledge between Anne and myself. A slight prior acquaintance, as I had already admitted to, seemed safest. It was important that she and I should be in unison about this point. It would not do for one to claim a strong connection whilst the other had already denied any acquaintance at all. Since there would be no opportunity to discuss the matter with Anne in advance, I would just have to trust to luck and hope that her people were as little familiar with the truth of our unhappy history as I knew mine to be.

It would not be long before I found out, it seemed, for the old squire – the senior Mr. Musgrove – rode over to Kellynch with a formal invitation only a few days later, an invitation for the three of us to dine at the great house at Uppercross, with those residing at the cottage promised to be present as well. Since my brother and sister were not free any sooner, a date in one week’s time was settled upon.

“You must have made a very good impression when you met these Musgroves,” I suggested to my sister when the squire had gone on his way again. “To be invited to dine after so brief an acquaintance is a particular attention indeed.”

“It may be nothing out of the ordinary for the Musgroves, for I gather that they are very much in the habit of giving dinners. Now that you have met Mr. Musgrove yourself, Frederick, you have a sample of what a good sort of people they are: friendly and hospitable with no stuffy pretentions to elegance, all of which suits us very well.” She paused before continuing with a look of mischief in her eye. “And I believe our being discovered able to produce a rich, unattached younger brother was very much in our favor as well.”

I looked at her in some confusion.

“Did I not mention that the Musgroves have two daughters of marriageable age to get off their hands?” Sophy continued. “Louisa and Henrietta. Both are rather pretty, I might add. Spirited as well. I daresay their father would be terribly pleased if one of them were to catch your fancy.”

“Now Sophy, I would wager that it is you yourself who is the true matchmaker in the case. But I am in no hurry to marry. Remember that, if you please.”

“No man ever admits he desires to be married until he meets the girl who captures his heart. Then heaven and earth cannot stand in his way! It will be the same for you, my dear brother. Mark my words. And who knows but what either Louisa or Henrietta Musgrove might be just the one to do it?”

She was not far wrong, although I hesitated to admit it. With my fortune made and being turned on shore for the foreseeable future, I was not opposed to the idea of falling in love again and settling down. I had not resigned myself to being beached forever, though. No, the wife I chose would have to be a lady willing to go to sea with me whenever I should be given a new command, as my sister had done for the admiral.

“You have found me out,” I said jestingly. “Here I am, quite ready to make a foolish match. Anybody between fifteen and thirty may have me for the asking. A little beauty and a few smiles, a few compliments to the navy, and I am a lost man. Should not this be enough to satisfy a humble sailor, who has had no society among women to make him too particular?”

She laughed. “Humble sailor, indeed! But I can see that I shall have to set myself your guard in the matter, Frederick. You could do worse than a Miss Musgrove, as probably you might without my help. But do be serious and tell me the woman you want, so that I may look out for her.”

“Very well, Sophia,” I said slowly, deciding what to tell her, for I would by no means say what had immediately sprung to mind: Give me a woman very like Anne Elliot, that is the Anne Elliot I thought I knew before she broke her promise to me. Instead I said glibly, “Let her have a strong mind and sweetness of manner. That is all I ask. Something a little inferior I shall of course put up with, if necessary, but it must not be much. There you have it, my dear sister. If I am a fool, I shall be a fool indeed, for I believe I have thought on the subject more than most men.”

“Fie, Frederick! This will never do. You say you are not particular, but I know you better. There can be nothing at all ‘inferior’ about the woman you choose, or you will prefer to remain single!”

My sister was right, of course, though I would not own it to her. There was a great deal more that I comprehended in the picture of my future bride. To sweetness and strength of mind must be added attractiveness of person, gentleness of manner, modesty, taste, and feeling. And firmness of character. What good was all the rest without that? How could one depend on a lady if “yes” could become “no” by the persuasion of others? Perhaps such a paragon as I envisioned did not exist. Still, that is what I wanted; I could not seem to help it.

However, if one of the Miss Musgroves turned out to be anything close to that ideal, I thought I might just fall in love with her in spite of myself. Otherwise, a harmless flirtation would be very pleasant too. I certainly would not decline an opportunity to enjoy the friendship of two pretty, amiable young ladies, for I had been much deprived of female companionship in my long years at sea.

As I pictured the scenes that might play out at Uppercross, those persons who would be present and how I might behave, I smiled to myself. If such a playful flirtation or a falling in love should happen to take place within the sight of the woman who had once refused to marry me… If my pleasing attentions should be accepted, perhaps even returned, in front of the lady who had rejected me… Well, so much the better.

Although I did not admit to such a motive at the time, it was a taste of sweet revenge I was after. That much was due to me, or so said my wounded pride. If I had the chance, I meant that Anne should feel my pointed disregard. Even if she no longer cared for me at all, I could at least see that she experienced the sting of be slighted, the pain of being examined and found wanting. Just as I was due some retribution, she was due some repayment in kind.

It was a cruel plan that began forming in my head that day, cruel and perilous as well. But it would be weeks before I recognized the danger. By then, regrettably, the damage would already be done.

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I hope you enjoyed this excerpt and that you’ll stayed tuned for further news about Captain Wentworth in His Own Words. Wish me luck on finishing up my taxes and on finding lots and lots of uninterrupted writing time!